Horsing around in Bay

Hemi the horse stretched his legs inside the Patangata Tavern last week.

A horse walks into a bar in Central Hawke's Bay and the barman says, "yeah fair enough".

Hemi the horse joined patrons in a drinking session at the Patangata Tavern last week.

A video was posted to the pub's Facebook page showing Hemi being led around the pub, with one man even trying to climb aboard the animal, and succeeding on his second attempt.

The tavern's owner, who did not want to be named, said a local man had stopped for a drink, leaving Hemi in a horse float outside.

"He had the horse in the truck and he said I want to give him a stretch, so I'll bring him in the pub, so I said 'yeah, fair enough.'"

Hemi was safely returned to his float after meeting the patrons.

"He was looking for a drink and promised his owner would behave."

Hemi's foray into the pub came after police were called to deal with a "very stubborn" miniature horse that escaped its paddock and walked to Havelock North New World in the middle of the night last week.

The horse was later returned to its owner after police wrangled it with emergency tape.